Position Papers|1 January 1988

The Future Internist

Abstract

As the American Board of Internal Medicine faces the next decade, it recognizes that the practice and science of medicine will continue to evolve, and that an accelerated rate of change requires adaptability by the profession. Excellent primary health care will demand increasingly the skills of physicians who are well trained in general internal medicine. The role of the internist as generalist and consultant is changing, as medicine becomes more organized. Many internists are moving from autonomous practice to practice in structured organizations run by not-for-profit, for-profit, and academic institutions. Functioning in changed roles and settings will require new skills